Tiger Woods played only nine holes at Muirfield yesterday to protect his injured elbow.

The world No.1, who was ­accompanied by girlfriend Lindsey Vonn, insisted his left elbow was “fine” as he prepared for his first event since the US Open.

But with the American still taking painkillers and receiving treatment, he made a cautious return to action on the sun-baked Scottish links.

(Image: Getty)

“I better not push it,” he said. “The ground’s going to be hard over here, ­obviously. I just wanted to make sure everything was healed before I came over.

“I took a couple of weeks off and that’s why I didn’t play and I started practicing last week. It’s fine. It feels good. The big thing will be to avoid the rough.” The Open favourite suffered the elbow strain while winning The Players’ Championship in May and was forced to pull out of the AT&T National last month.

At the 2002 Open here, Woods arrived as reigning Masters and US Open champion, but his bid for a Grand Slam was blown away in a Saturday gale.

Yesterday, neither the 14-time Major winner nor ­practice partners Dustin Johnson and Jason Day hit driver with ­Muirfield playing long and the rough knee high. Woods still smoked a 4-iron 285 yards downwind on the eighth hole.

“It’s obviously playing a lot quicker than it did in 2002,” Woods said. “These fairways have some fire to them. The greens aren’t up to speed but I’m sure they will get there. It’s been dry over here. This place is firm. We’re hitting the ball a long ways downwind.”

Jolly for Lefty

Phil Mickelson revealed how his anger at being forced into a play-off saw him claim the Scottish Open yesterday (Sunday), writes MirrorSport.

The American was drawn into the sudden-death shoot-out after three-putting the 18th for a bogey six.

That left him tied on 17 under with South African Branden Grace. But the world No.8 made amends when he returned to the 18th, pitching to within inches of the hole for a birdie that Grace could not match.

“I was so mad at myself for mentally losing my focus that I came out on that 18th pretty focused to make a four,” the Californian said.

“This is really cool. I have been coming here for some time and had opportunities and I almost let it slip away today. To win this is terrific.”